Demons in Nermia!
by Patent-Pending
Summary: The Gates to the Infernal Planes are opening. Demons are more frequenting our planes. But, not all of them are evil, and not all of them will stay evil.
1. Oni!

A.N. This is set directly after the end of the series, with the exception that Ranma hasn't run off yet. RanmaOC pairing. Akane Angst.

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma. However, concepts not invented by Rumiko Takahasi I do own, so please ask me _before_ scampering off with them.

Demons in Nermia!

Chapter 1: ONI!

"RANMA!" It was a regular Sunday afternoon, and Akane was once again unhappy with her fiancee.

"I HAVEN'T EVEN DONE ANYTHING THIS WHOLE WEEK! WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM, TOMBOY?" Ranma yelled back.

"THAT _IS_ THE PROBLEM! When you decide to shut up and not bother me, you're scheming something, I know it! ALL BOYS ARE THE SAME!"

"THAT'S FINE! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS! I'M GOING FOR A WALK!"

"Oh, Ranma! Don't forget to come back by dinner! It's beef stir-fry night!" Kasumi yelled after him.

"I will!"

"AND DON'T BOTHER COMING BACK, EITHER!" Akane yelled after him, but was too late. The princess's time in her own little world had allowed him to escape. She just began fuming. She then began spewing curses as she watched the pigtailed boy bound across rooftops, and over the horizon.

_Stupid Tomboy. She's suspicious even I'm being nice to her._

Ranma kept bounding, almost ignoring where he was going, which was out of the district and into another.

_I wonder if Nabiki has anything to do with this._

Said girl in question sneezed abruptly, wondering if leaving her window open at night was inviting a cold in.

Ranma continued on his train of thought, his body on autopilot. He was now doing laps around Nermia, and he had three more hours before he was to be back at the Tendou's.

Now in the restaurant subdistrict in Nermia, Ranma was fair game for some of his fiancees.

Oh, look, there's one now. She has purple hair, and is moving like a bullet towards Ranma on that metallic contraption of hers.

What? There's no way you could that _thing_ a bicycle.

"Nihao, Airen!" Shampoo saw her landing pad grab her bike, and flip up above her. So, he wanted to play did he?

However, as soon as Shampoo stepped off her bike, Ranma had nearly rounded the street corner. Shampoo bounded after him.

"Come back, Airen!" Shampoo went in for her famous glomp ...

... and failed spectacularly, landing on her face, while Ranma flipped out of the way. A vein appeared on Shampoo's head. Before she moved again, she heard him utter

"Stupid Tomboy."

That stunned Shampoo into sitting still. Was he talking about her? Or Akane? Or someone else entirely? Shampoo had too many questions floating about in her head, and she wanted answers. But, by the time she'd realized this, Ranma was no where to be found.

_Guess I'll have to ask Great-Grandmother, then._

What, did you expect her to _think_ in Japanese?

Erin was a normal succubus; drop-dead gorgeous face, silky-smooth, long, ebony hair, body to die for, pair of concealed bat wings. That, and she thrived on the lust she drained from other beings, rather then just simply wanting to steal the souls of the beings she made lust after her.

Right now, she was sitting in a college classroom, after class, smiling at boys as they walked by, and gently laughing when they ran into desks or walls. She got a real big kick when their girl friends slapped them. She started rolling on the floor with laughter when one guy got beaten up by a mob for simply saying hello to her.

After she had collected her books, she began to walk to her apartment. Which of course, happened to be about twenty minutes away.

In Nermia.

She was scanning the crowds for anyone particularly delicious looking. She was beginning to feel the effects of not draining lust for a while. She couldn't do it during class, or in large crowds. That many horny people in one spot just wasn't her style. That, and her general wanted her to catch a few more souls.

Erin sighed. No one of any good today. Just after thinking that, her energy and spiritual senses went into a frenzy. She looked up, and low and behold, it was everyone's favorite pigtailed mortal.

Erin had to fan herself just a little. Had the temperature just gone up? Why did she feel so weird. She decided she would be set for a while if she could get _his_ soul.

"Hello." Erin tried. She'd used a small amount of magic to convince him to stop walking, but he was still lost in thought.

"Hello?" she tried again, with almost the same results.

"HELLO!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. Ranma snapped out of his reverie, and focused his eyes down after taking an akward one-legged stance, and putting his hands in between himself and Erin.

"AHH! Who're you?" Ranma asked quickly. He _really_ hoped she hadn't come to collect on any promises.

"I'm Erin! And you are?" She said, leaning forward, slightly thrusting out her chest, to get his attention. Ranma's steel-skull deflected the body language attempt.

"Ranma. You haven't come to collect on any stupid promise my dad made you, would you be?" Erin managed to keep her composure. Barely.

_What, has he got gynophobia because of his dad? This is getting more interesting by the second!_

"Noo." She said scooting closer to him. Ranma had shied away from her, and stepped onto his other foot. Erin was almost in shock. How was he resisting her charms?

"What's with you?" She asked, feigning an almost hurt voice.

"With a few exceptions, Girls who show an interest in me are dangerous."

_Ah. So, he's got, or had, a few bad girlfriends. I'll slow up just a bit then. No need to rush these things._

"Could I be one of those few?" She had switched her body language from screaming "TAKE ME!" to "I'm just the sweetest thing you've ever met." Not that this had any affect on Ranma, whatsoever. The crowd, however, went from spectacularly horny to gooey on the inside in a matter of seconds.

"Why?" was his simple response. However, his reaction to her answer was unnecessary, as a few seconds later, a huge demon appeared out of nowhere. No one but Ranma and the girl seemed to notice.

"Al-." Erin tried to say, but Ranma's mind had gone into overdrive.

It was time to fight. He launched a kick at the thorny looking demon. Who merely grabbed his extended his foot and threw him into a building, promptly ending that match. He then grabbed Erin, slung her over his shoulder, and began walking.

Erin had sort of been stunned during this entire slew of events. When she finally snapped back, she was atop the thorny demon's shoulder.

"Alphus? Alphus, you can put me down now." She said, in a cute voice, thoroughly mustered. Alphus didn't seem to respond.

"Please?" Cuteness factor increased by x10. Alphus still didn't seem to respond. Erin's eyes widened just a little.

OK, they became really big. So what?

"Alphus, you pervert, put me down this instant!" She screamed. Alphus's mouth twisted into a cruel grin.

"PUT HER DOWN THIS INSTANT, MONSTER!" Erin was used to seeing people die. Erin was used to seeing Alphus throwing people into buildings. Put 1 and 1 together with Ranma, however, and you wind up with something on the order of pi.

"How did you survive!" Erin screamed.

"That was nothing. I was just stuck after he threw me." Ranma dusted a bit of plaster off of his shoulder.

"I think a good fight before dinner would help me work up an appetite." Ranma said, moving into a raised one-legged stance, beckoning the large, terrifying demon. The fact of which, Ranma was completely blind to. Alphus just glared at the boy. Though not shaken, Ranma said,

"I eat people like you for breakfast." Alphus charged the boy. Ranma flipped over the charge, and landed a stomping double kick on the demon's back. A sickening crunch is heard.

"He doesn't break _that_ easy, do he?" Ranma asked Erin, who shook her head. Ranma looked again at the getting up demon. One of the thorns was dangling. So that's what'd snapped. Alphus made eye contact with the boy again, before he charged again.

"You don't learn very well, do you?" Ranma flipped over Alphus, promptly had his foot caught, and had Alphus throw him into the side of another building.

"Like that does anything but tickle. Ryouga can hit hard then that, and he ain't no demon." Ranma commented, bringing his right hand up. A bright blue ball formed in front of it. Ranma smirked and charged.

"Mokou Takabishi!" He screamed, and hit the demon at nearly point blank. A bunch of black dust flew into the air, knocking both Ranma and Erin over. Ranma could almost hear the demon's final words in the back of his head.

_Well, well, Ranma Saotome. You are truly an interesting person. He who defeats me ... well, now, that would be telling, wouldn't it?_

Ranma just wanted the world to stop spinning, so he could get home.

Erin came to the moment the cloud dissipated. Several hours had passed, and she had a great big kink in her back. She stood up to stretch it, and noticed that her target was gone. She smiled. She dispelled the illusion around her, returning to the form of a succubus. She unfurled her Bat-wing, and took off into the night sky.

Its a wonder that she doesn't get cold in that armor bikini.

Erin had decided that she would find the boy's house. Tracing his energies would be fairly easy. He seemed to be content with just letting his aura sit there, and not do much with it. That, or he hadn't learned to conceal it.

Erin neared the Tendou Dojo, and reformed the illusion maintained around her. She landed on the roof, and listened in on the conversation that was being held in the living room. Apparently, Ranma was already home, and hadn't left again.

"Oh, Ranma! What happened! Why are you covered in soot?"

"ACHOOOOO!" Nabiki had walked into the room. With a highly congested nose she continued, "OK, who brought home flowers?"

"No one. Ranma's covered in soot!"

"That can't be soot, Sis. Otherwise, I wouldn't be sne-ACHOOO!"

"Can I lie down now? The room is still on spin cycle." Ranma said. Kasumi hurried over to the boy, and deftly guided him over to the sofa, where Akane was watching TV.

"Get your hands off my sister, pervert." Akane nearly screamed, and had climbed up onto the back of the sofa.

"Kasumi's the one who's holdin' _me_ up, remember?" Ranma retorted.

"Akane, be a dear, and go sit in the chair for a moment. Ranma is feeling dizzy." Akane snorted, then her face contorted into anger. After a moment, everyone sat down, Kasumi in a chair, Ranma on the Couch, and the others sitting on various cushions and chairs. Nodoka called from the kitchen,

"I'm listening!"

"So, you were out seeing the Black Rose, were you?" She said. Ranma gave a look of surprise.

"Somehow, I knew you were going to say that. Even if you don't believe me, I'm going to tell you what happened. It's a little fuzzy, still. I was walking along, minding my own business, when this girl comes up to-"

"HAH! I knew he was a pervert!" Akane yelled.

"-me, and when she gets my attention, I asked her if she was here to get anything from my dad or me. When she said no, she started acting like a more sophisticated, straighter talking Shampoo. But before-"

"YOU REALLY ARE A PERVERT!" She screamed. Erin sweatdropped. If anything, the boy was the biggest introvert she'd ever seen. No girl could hold him with mere charm alone. It was a good thing she had her magic.

"-anything could happen, this big... I don't know, _thing_, attacked, and I managed to beat it with the Mokou Takabishi, and when it was beaten, it let off this huge rush of wind and this black stuff. I stumbled out of the cloud, and went looking for the darn thing, so it couldn't terrorize anything else. But I couldn't find it, and by the time I stopped, it was time to get here."

"So, you never went back and checked on the poor girl?" Mr. Tendou asked. However, before he could answer, Erin took the time to knock on the front door.

"Oh, a visitor!"

A.N. I am officially tired after writing this. I am hoping some good reviews come out of this. Please! I don't bite, honestly!


	2. Getting Clean is a Messy Job

A.N. I'm wondering, other than the Tendou's, the Saotome's, the demons, Shampoo, Ryouga and Ukyou, who else should I include? And yes, I know Akane is a little OOC. It'll change shortly.

Demons in Nermia!

Chapter 2: Getting cleaned is a messy job

Kasumi quickly got up from her seat and moved towards the door. She opened it, and said,

"Oh! Who might you be?" Erin was momentarily stunned from Kasumi's almost divine presence.

_I'll have to be careful around her. She's not normal._ Snapping out of her reverie, she said,

"I'm Erin. I was looking to thank Ranma, since he saved me from that nasty demony-thing!" Erin mustered every bit of 'cuteness' aura she had. Kasumi smiled.

"Ranma was just telling us about you. Please, come inside." Erin did just that. As soon as she stepped into the room, the reactions varied. Ranma flinched, due to a combination of her demonic and cuteness auras, as well as having experienced bad things with people who seek him out.

Akane began to fume, as Ranma was now associating with another, _extremely_ beautiful girl. Wasn't he supposed to be her loyal, unwavering, submissive, never-look-at-another-girl fiancee? Nabiki's eyes lit up dollar signs. If she convince _this_ girl to pose for her, there'd be no more need to get Ranma or Akane to pose ever again. Heck, with that kind of money, she could spoil everyone in the house.

Genma's mouth hung open. The boy's got another crazy one following him? Soun's mind picked up on the demonic energy. Unfortunately, due to a sensory mess-up, he thought that the demon aura made her look like a young version of his wife. So he did the only thing Soun Tendou would do.

He fainted. Kasumi, of course, thought she was just a sweet girl that wanted to be Ranma's friend. Nodoka hadn't seen the girl yet. Erin's eyes lit up as she began formulating a plan to get Ranma's soul away from him. So, she quickly ran over to the other side of the room, and enveloped Ranma in a hug.

Ranma froze up. He never knew what to do in these situations. Should he hug back? Should he try to escape? What would they do if he tried? All Ranma knew was that he couldn't stand to see people cry, so he did nothing, and hopefully, that would leave something for them to give him clues to work with.

Akane began seething. She was another friggin' bimbo! Look at them draping themselves all over each other! Akane's anger had nearly hit the boiling point.

Erin began to notice a few things were wrong. Ranma wasn't responding to the hug. The temperature near where Akane was sitting was rising rapidly, and she felt like she was being eyed like a cow from another general direction. Then it hit her. She pulled back and put her face in her hand.

_STUPID! Hugging someone you're not intimate with in Japan is taboo! This isn't America, and certainly not Europe._ Erin sighed.

Nodoka chose that moment to walk into the room, as Erin was letting go of Ranma. She smiled. This new girl would make a good wife, or at the very least, a good mistress.

"I apologize. I'm not from Japan. A hug seemed like a good way to thank him." However, another person in the room wasn't listening. She hadn't done anything, because she felt that girls were completely without blame. Erin had positioned herself to where if Ranma was hit, she would be hurt. Therefore, when Erin let go of Ranma, Akane chose that moment to attack.

"YOU PERVERT!" Akane said. Ranma again flinched, but didn't begin to move. However, Erin's arm lashed out and caught the other moving arm, and effectively stopped Akane from slapping Ranma.

"Hold on there slugger!" Erin said, in a mock coach voice. "HE might break something like that!" Several people around the room were stunned. Genma, Akane, Ranma and Nabiki because someone was acting to defend him. Nodoka and Kasumi because they knew that Akane was a strong girl, and that Erin had to be stronger then her to stop the slap. Soun had no opinion, because he had yet to recover from his fainting spell.

Akane was most of all insulted. Why did this bimbo stop her from delivering a rightful blow? She got even angrier.

"You whore! Why did you stop me from doing something that had to be done!"

"Why the hell did you need to slap him for _my_ mistake?" Erin was utterly bewildered. Was this girl crazy?

"Girls are infallible. It could only have been Ranma's fault." Akane stated, in an almost challenging voice. Genma nodded.

"I agree to a lesser extent. They may not be infallible, but they always have a reason for doing something." Erin stared at him like he'd grown two heads. She was the demon, she was supposed to be weird! She swiveled her gaze, and landed it on Ranma. She pitied him. She asked,

"Why do you put up with this torment?" Ranma didn't respond, but just turned a nice shade of red.

"Ah. I see." Erin reflected on what she'd just learned. This person who wanted to hurt him for anything she perceived as a slight held his heart for no apparent reason.

"Look, Ranma. I've dealt with those things in the past before. You know, the big thorny things? That black cloud doesn't come off of clothes, and only comes off of skin with a good scrub and a few special soaps.

"Anyone who regularly associates with magical stuff should have a recipe. Just tell them you've been hit by a thorn demon dust cloud." Erin got up, and bow to them.

"I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused. I must be getting home." Erin turned around, and began walking. However, a hand on her shoulder caused her to pause.

"Perhaps I could convince you to stay for dinner?" Nodoka had taken a liking to this girl. Erin smiled.

_There are souls to be reaped here. Not that some of the people here would be any different if I took their souls._

"I think that would be nice." Ranma had gotten up, and was walking for the door. His mother turned and asked him,

"Where are you going, son?"

"I'm taking Erin's advice. I'm going up to my room to grab a change of clothes, and go get that soap." Nodoka smiled, and said,

"You do that, son. I'll keep a portion warm for you for when you get back.

Ranma was walking down the street, looking out for a big sign, labeled 'Nekohaten'. Once he found it, he knocked on the door. He heard a tapping sound, and saw Cologne come to the door.

"Welcom to the Neko- Good Lord, son-in-law, what have you gotten yourself into now?"

"A Thorn demon dust cloud is what I think she said." Cologne raised an eyebrow.

"She?"

"A girl I had to save from the thing." Cologne's eye got just a tiny bit wider. Not that she expected anything less from her son-in-law.

"You need soap, don't you?" She said, wearing a smile.

"Yeah. What do I have to do to get it?" Cologne's face lit up in a very scary, sadistic looking smile.

"Shampoo's asleep. Once your done with your bath, go lie down with her. She'll be pleasantly surprised in the moment." Ranma stared at the older woman, eyes slightly widened and twitching. He then pointed at himself.

"Do I look like a person who wants his head on a stick?" He took a step back, and began to walk back down the road. Cologne sighed. He never learns. Its futile to resist the Amazons. She just had to wait until those final pieces came in, and then she'd have him.

Ranma had run away, top speed from the Nekohaten. He headed to the only other person who might have a chance to make that soap for him.

Dr. Tofuu.

"Doc! Doc, are you there!" Ranma asked, while banging on the front door of Tofuu's practice.

"Yes! I'm here. I'm was just making dinner. Come in. I'll be there in a minute."

Ranma walked into the room. Dr. Tofuu called down to him.

"What happened. Nothing serious, as I can tell you walked in."

"I'm covered in something that doesn't want to some off. Something called a thorn demon dust cloud." The moment those words left his mouth, there was a clink of metal on metal, and Tofu came rushing down the stairs.

"Did you just say what I think you just said?"

"Thorn Demon Dust Cloud?" Ranma repeated. Tofuu smiled.

"You never cease to amaze me. You do know that few people have ever lived to tell about those things, right?"

"No. Look, do you have any of the soap?"

"That special formula takes a while to make. Luckily, I just happen to have a small bottle. You'll need to help me make more if those things are going to be attacking Nermia at any time." Ranma smiled.

"Where's the Furo?" Tofuu Pointed up the stairs.

"Take the right hall and its third door down on the left." Tofuu handed him the bottle.

Ranma was relaxing in the furo. It had taken the better part of an hour to scrub the dust off, and he had to drain the furo twice in the process. His arms were aching, and most of his face and his arms were red. Tofuu knocked.

"Mind if I joined you?"

"Not at all." Ranma said. "Come on in."

"Ranma, I had a few questions to ask you about your encounter today."

"Shoot."

"What color was the demon?"

"A yellowy, browny sort of almost color with black skin."

"I see. A rarer variety."

"What?"

"Well, there are many kinds of thorn demons. The more common kinds are things like Briar and Rose. But the kind you've stumbled across is something much more rare. You see, they only speak directly to your id, and they never really give classifying names to anything, so its hard to associate them to their plant."

"I follow you."

"They all have that dust cloud attack though. They force a lot of pollen out into the open air, and then make their getaway while their assailants are trapped in the cloud. Tell me, Ranma, what kind of affects did you feel after being in that cloud?"

"I felt really, really dizzy. Ye' might say I'd been put inta a dryer er somethin'."

"Ah. Dizziness. Tell me Ranma, aside from you chi attacks, how much about the spiritual and mystical side of things do you understand?" Ranma gave him a blank look.

"How does that pertain to fighting?"

"Its quite simple really. Other people and beings will use that to sap your will and strength, and use it to their own ends. Its not so much a matter of using it - but being prepared against it and know what it is." Recognition dawned on Ranma.

"Knowledge really is power, ain't it, Doc?"

"Yes it is Ranma. Indeed it is. Let me explain to you this other side. A battlefield guide to fighting demons and the supernatural, if you may.

A.N. Why do I get the feeling that after people read this, they'll want me to do a Sailor Moon Crossover, to where the Scouts come to fight the demons, even if they have no idea how to do that correctly.

How does everyone like the story so far?


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